


A Cage of Thunder

by Gaqalesqua



Series: A Song, A Storm, A Celebration [2]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Brontophilia, Cunnilingus, F/M, Face-Sitting, Fluff and Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 14:05:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13572123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaqalesqua/pseuds/Gaqalesqua
Summary: Sequel to The Stranger and the Songbird. Arthur, Nora, and a radstorm meet on the Prydwen to review the last three months.





	A Cage of Thunder

Nora’s alliance with the Brotherhood was going swimmingly.

From her perspective as a General, she couldn’t have been happier. It had taken them a week or two to draw up the agreement, and a few months to hammer out the imperfections, but she couldn’t have asked for a better arrangement. Her settlements had never been stronger.

From the perspective of Nora, however, it was not so good. Since the first time she had clapped eyes on Elder Arthur Maxson during the meeting at Spectacle Island, her mind had decided to consistently replay the memory of him knelt between her thighs with his mouth lapping at her. And when she was trying to plan a military campaign with the man, it didn’t help in the slightest.

Even worse was the fact that Nora _liked_ him. Despite the way the Brotherhood operated, Nora trusted Arthur Maxson. He might have been slightly eager to prove himself and sometimes in need of a gentler touch, but once they had learned how to work together, she found herself more than willing to call him an ally and trust him with her life.

And that was why she had no hesitation in going alone on the vertibird to their first quarterly review.

The clouds overhead looked heavy and dark. The southern wind was whipping her fringe against her face as Nora disembarked from the aircraft, and she could’ve sworn it was warmer than earlier.

“Welcome aboard the Prydwen, General,” Lancer Wade told her. “Shall I escort you to the Elder?”

“I would appreciate that,” Nora replied. The Lancer climbed from her seat as Nora patted her bag to make sure the whiskey hadn’t been damaged in any way. Wade’s short red hair gleamed in the light of the flight deck as she moved past the General and toward the door. Nora hazarded a gaze at the sky before they went inside. Those heavy clouds were green with hints of bruise-purple.

“Elder Maxson,” the Lancer called, once they were inside. Maxson was standing by the huge windows as ever, gazing across the wasteland. As he turned, Nora caught his eye and immediately fought the urge to bite down on her lip. There was something about the way he moved that made her skin prickle in anticipation. The polite smile that greeted her as she crossed the command deck had her taking in a short, sharp breath.

“Lancer, General,” he greeted. “Thank you, Wade. You’re dismissed.”

Nora gave him a welcoming smile. The Elder smelled distinctly of ozone and the soap the Brotherhood favoured, making her skin tingle briefly. The warmth of his palm as he shook her hand didn’t do much to quell that feeling. 

“It looks like it might storm,” Nora noted, withdrawing her hand after a moment. Several moments. _God_ , she was lucky she hadn’t taken her gloves off.  She could still recall the roughness of his fingers when he’d slid a couple of them between her thighs and she pressed her lips together.

The Elder’s hands clasped behind his back, and Nora fought to keep her gaze on his face as his legs parted a little. “I’m afraid you may be right,” Maxson agreed. “In which case, you may be grounded aboard this vessel until the storm passes. Unless you wanted to borrow a set of T-60 and make a drop from the Prydwen.”

“I think I should be fine up here,” Nora told him. “Preston can hold the fort for a night.”

His eyes were fixed on her. She felt the need to adjust her collar but she ignored it. “Of course. Shall we?”

He gestured towards the ladder to the main deck, and Nora nodded, heading over to it. She tried not to let her hips sway as she climbed up, but knowing that Arthur was watching her ass the whole time was…well, it didn’t curb her temptation.

The Elder followed her up to the next deck, and if he was flustered, he kept an excellent poker face as he led her over to his quarters and pushed open the door. She pulled the bottle of whiskey out of her bag once she was inside, and placed it on the table, pulling back a chair. Arthur closed the door and moved to find two clean glasses for them to drink from. He took a seat opposite her as Nora uncorked the whiskey, pouring out two glasses. There was silence as they clinked the tumblers together and took a drink.

“Where did you find _this_?” Arthur asked, looking approvingly at the bottle.

“BADTFL,” Nora replied, taking her hat off and placing it on the table. “Not all that surprised to find the Pre-War cops kept the best for themselves.”

Arthur took another drink. “Then I must thank the officers of the Boston police departments for selfishly hoarding and thereby preserving this.”

“Indeed.” Nora sipped her drink, feeling the burn of it slowly coat her tongue and slip down her throat. Arthur put his glass down, and rested his hands on the table. She avoided meeting his gaze for a few moments.

“I’ve been consistently impressed with your Minutemen since the alliance started,” Maxson told her. Nora smiled into her glass.  

“Impressed how?” she asked, putting her tumbler down. Maxson’s brows furrowed, just a little. Nora immediately missed the way her drink had distracted her from the urge to bite her lip. The heat from her drink spread across her chest.

“Their work ethic,” he replied, “and their loyalty. They trust you with their lives. It’s no small feat.”

Nora felt heat fill her cheeks at the compliment. “I’ve always tried to be accessible to them,” she told him. “I’m not just the General. I’m here for advice, for protection. It’s what I found works for me.”  

“It’s paid off.” He reached for his glass and took a drink. When he put it down again, his eyes found hers. Nora’s skin prickled. “I’ve had few complaints.”

“About?” Nora asked, after a pause.

“Your people,” Arthur suddenly said, leaning forward. He coughed, his eyes darting to the whiskey bottle. “I’ve had few complaints about your people.”

“I can say the same for yours,” she told him. She removed her gloves. After a pause, he did the same. Nora swallowed and tried to keep her eyes away from his fingers.

“And you’re pleased with how this has turned out?” he asked.

Nora nodded. “There was some scepticism at first – which tends to be normal when people arrive armed to the teeth – but across the board, I’ve had people reporting back that having your soldiers protecting their homes has made them feel safer. And thanks to that safety, our yield doubled.”

“Which I’ve noticed,” Arthur added. “The yield, that is.”

Nora’s brow rose. She took a drink. “I had Sturges create a holotape with all the necessary information and feedback we gathered. There’s crop yields, complaints, necessities and other things for your Proctor to go over.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tape, placing it on the table. Arthur slid it over and put it in his coat, his eyes meeting hers again. Nora took another drink.

“What would you say is the most common complaint from your people, General?” he asked after a moment.

“Being treated both like a soldier _and_ like a civilian,” Nora replied almost immediately. Maxson’s shoulders stiffened.

“I see.” Arthur’s eyes dropped to his glass and he drank again. He was already most of the way through his drink. Nora found herself impressed, but slightly concerned.

“I know that in times of crisis, civilians are called upon to defend their homes, but several of them have pointed out the way your men tend to snap orders at them,” Nora continued. “Despite not having the authority to do so.”

“Noted,” Arthur said.

“It’s probably difficult to break out of the way you’ve been trained to view Wastelanders,” she added. “But it’s the biggest thing causing friction between our two people now.”

“The Brotherhood’s history _is_ one of using its strength to its advantage in order to secure its objectives,” Arthur noted wryly. Nora smiled.

“That a nice way of saying you’re used to taking what you want?” she asked lightly, her voice soft and teasing.

“Touché, General.”

Arthur finished his drink. The slow, rattling sound of an incoming Radstorm made Nora’s skin tingle, and Arthur looked up, his brow furrowing. He ran a hand through his hair. Nora remembered tangling her fingers in it and suddenly the brief whisper of her suit against her skin was too much, trapping heat against her body. She needed to cool down, now.

“It seems I owe you an apology for stranding you up here,” he said after a pause. Nora sipped her whiskey. The burn in her throat dropped lower. She smiled. A deep, rumbling boom filled the room and she crossed her legs, taking a longer drink.

“It’s not a problem,” she said. Her voice sounded faint and distracted to her own ears and she quickly put the glass down. Arthur leaned back against his chair and draped an arm across the table. Nora looked up to find him looking at her.

“You seem pre-occupied,” he commented. Nora nodded, her fingers tapping the table. “I want to assure you I didn’t _plan_ to bring you to the Prydwen just in time for a Radstorm to hit.”

Nora laughed softly. “I know you’re a great tactician, but I think that would be too good even for you.”

“You underestimate me.” There was a small smile on his lips and Nora felt her heart skip a beat. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

Nora tilted her head inquisitively. He seemed suddenly nervous, his eyes darting away from her and fixing on the bottle.

“Go ahead,” she said, as the silence ticked by. Arthur finished his drink, putting the glass down. He cleared his throat, and finally his eyes met hers. Nora felt the tips of her ears burn.

“I believe this is the first time you and I have been alone in a room together for several months,” he finally said.

“If I’ve caused any offense, I apologise,” she replied slowly, searching his face. His expression was guarded, but the way his eyes moved between her and the bottle was all the tell she needed.

“You have not,” he assured her, his fingers running around the edge of the glass. It wasn’t wet enough to make noise. “It’s just something that occurred to me. A nonsensical thought. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“But you did anyway. And since you have…” She gestured with a hand. Arthur paused, and then leaned forward a little, his gaze still fixed heavily on her. Nora squashed the urge to swallow. She wasn’t close enough to kiss him, but the desire was there. Another _boom_ of thunder had her pulling in a deep breath.

“Are you avoiding being alone with me?” he asked slowly. His voice was low, careful.

“Yes,” Nora admitted. Arthur’s jaw clenched. His eyes darted away and he shifted, leaning against his chair once more. Nora crossed her arms, leaning on the table.

“May I know why?” he asked, his voice tight with hurt.

“Because it’s very difficult to remain professional around you when we’re alone,” Nora said. His eyes widened. His jaw unclenched. “I keep…thinking about you. Being near you is…it’s distracting.”

“What am I doing when you think about me?”

There was a hint of desperation in the low rasp of his words that made Nora’s cheeks burn. Being desired was one thing. Arthur sounded like he wanted something more.

“I think you know,” she whispered. The Elder shifted, both arms on the table as he leaned closer again. The rattle of the radstorm sounded outside as her breath caught.

“So it wasn’t bad,” he deduced. Nora pressed her lips together, an embarrassed smile pushing up the corners of her mouth as she let the memory of him pressing her against the wall play for a few moments.

“The opposite of bad,” she told him softly. Arthur’s hand moved a little closer, his hand a few inches from her arm. “If we’d just gone ahead and- I mean, we needed to cement an alliance, there was work we needed to get done…”

“I see,” he said.

“I had to concentrate on the needs of my people before meeting my own,” she finally said. “Which you…you are- you’re very talented at…doing that.”

His fingertips touched her wrist and Nora felt the hairs stand up on her arms just moments before thunder rumbled around them. His eyes remain fixed on her as he grasped hold of her hand.

“You aren’t put off by the name or the position I hold?” he asked, pulling her towards him.

“No.” Nora stood, and so did he. She reached out and pushed the cork back into the whiskey. “But I would be put off if that got broken.”

He laughed. Nora had to slide her hand from his as she stowed the bottle back in her bag and moved the bag over to a dresser. A hand slid around her stomach and dragged her into Maxson’s arms, her back pressing against his chest. His warm fingertips grazed her neck as he slipped her coat off her shoulders. Nora turned around to look at him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

The first time they’d kissed, he’d tasted like beer, and it had all been rushed, time being strained for the both of them. This time, he slipped his tongue between her lips and Nora squeaked as his hands grabbed her ass. Maxson gave her a slow, deep squeeze that had her moaning. His palms ran up her back, firm and languid, leaving a pleasant heat in their wake as they grasped her shoulders. The ambient rattle of the storm sent a shiver down her spine. His kisses slowed, his lips briefly leaving hers.

“Are you afraid?” he asked softly.

“I’m not afraid,” Nora whispered, pressing against him. Arthur had to take a step back, his ass hitting the edge of the table.

“You’re shaking,” he reminded her. Nora let her hands grab hold of his hair, and she pulled sharply. Arthur tensed, and then he trembled, his grip tightening on her.

“It’s like that,” she panted, and then he was dragging her mouth back to his. His body was warm and immovable against her own, and she curled into him, nibbling his lower lip. Arthur moaned, and his hands slid back to her ass. He abruptly picked her up behind her thighs, her legs wrapping around his waist. Nora cried out, her eyes widening as she leaned against him for support.

Arthur carried her effortlessly over to the couch, and Nora could feel the outline of his erection against her inner thigh as she sat in his lap and rocked her hip a little. He groaned, shucking off his coat as his hands found her waist. She smiled against his kisses, reaching for the collar of his suit. He grasped hold of her wrists and placed them on his shoulders. Nora looked at him curiously.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he replied. “I want to savour this. I didn’t get the chance last time.”

Nora leaned down to kiss him again and his hands skimmed down her back, caressing and squeezing her ass. She cupped his face, nibbling on his lower lip as his hands ran over her thighs before he returned his attention to her backside. As she leaned back to give him a teasing look, Arthur leaned forward and kissed her neck. Nora moaned in response, her eyes closing. The pleasant scratch of beard against her skin made heat rise in her cheeks, her suit feeling uncomfortably tight as she reached a hand up to unzip herself. Arthur immediately went to help, peeling the cobalt blue fabric down to her elbows, scratchy kisses laid against her skin as he bared her.

“I-I see how it is,” she laughed breathlessly. The suit reached her waist.

“I said I wanted to savour this,” he reminded her, and Nora whimpered as he nipped her. The friction of the suit on her skin was suddenly too much. Another _boom_ had her grinding against him, and Arthur responded with a growl that tailed off into a groan as she tugged on his hair. His fingers stroked down her back and tucked into the suit. Nora lifted herself to let him slide the fabric down, and with a surprised gasp, she found herself on her back, Arthur’s teeth on her neck as he worked the suit down to her knees.  His hands ran over the exposed skin, her thighs parting to let him touch. Fingertips brushed over her underwear and Nora shivered, wanting nothing more than for Arthur to rip the fabric from her. Her thigh slid against his, and Arthur pressed against her, his hands cupping her ass. She felt him bite gently and her lips parted in a surprised gasp, a rush of heat running through her. She nuzzled him gently, inhaling the clean smell of his hair. The scent didn’t distract her for long, not when his palms were dragging up her back and pausing at the clasp of her bra. Deft fingers unhooked her bra and Nora felt the pressure release from her chest as he swiftly removed it from her. Nora buried the urge to cover herself as he exposed her. Not that she had time to – Arthur’s hands were immediately cupping her, his thumbs playing gently with her nipples as he sucked at her neck again. Nora arched against him with a gasp.

“I made a mistake,” Arthur said softly, kissing the bites he’d left behind. “I could have been doing this _months_ ago if I’d only asked then.”

Nora felt his thigh press against her core as his lips brushed her collarbone. A hand slid around her back and pulled her closer to his mouth. She felt her breath catch as he began to lay kisses around the swell of her breast.

 “W-we’d have never gotten any work done,” Nora teased. It was hard to laugh when she was trying not to whimper. She wanted to pull his mouth to her. Arthur’s eyes met hers briefly.

“This _would_ have interested me more than my duties,” he agreed with a wry smile. Nora laughed.

Her voice cracked around the sound as his lips sealed around her nipple. Nora trembled, her hips bucking into his thigh. Both her hands clasped his head against her chest, trapping his left hand against her breast. A rumble of thunder had her biting her lip. Arthur pulled one of her hands away as his tongue swept over the nub, pinning her by the wrist to the couch. Nora’s stomach flipped. His thumb rubbed gently over her pulse as his tongue teased at the dark peak. She bit her lip.

“Arthur,” she gasped. The Elder groaned. She said it again, and his mouth left her as he looked up, his eyes finding hers.

“I like that,” he said, his voice raspy.

“Your name?” she asked. Her breathing was rough. Arthur’s mouth captured her other nipple and Nora arched, her clit catching the man’s muscular thigh. A wave of heat and pleasure rushed through her, amplified by the tongue currently flicking over her breast, teasing circles around her nipple until she could _feel_ how wet she was.

“Mmm,” he agreed, releasing her breast. He began laying gentle kisses against her skin, up her clavicle and decorating her neck. Nora could feel her heart pounding now. He released her wrist and leaned in to kiss her. Nora cupped his face, and then tangled her hands in his hair as he pressed himself against her, fingers slipping beneath the elastic of her underwear to grip her backside firmly. She wriggled against his thigh, her leg brushing his erection. Arthur groaned into the kiss. She played with his hair and nibbled on his lower lip until Arthur had to pull back from her, panting loudly.

“Say mine,” she whispered, her fingers dropping to his neck. He let her unbuckle the collar.

“Nora,” he murmured. Her breath caught in her throat at the sound.

“We,” she had to pause to take a breath, “really…wouldn’t have gotten anything done.”

He laughed, and leaned down to kiss her again. Nora’s fingers unzipped his suit and Arthur helped her pull it over his shoulders. Her hands ran down his back, mapping his muscles and scars as the black fabric was peeled away from him. His holotags fell and swung between them as his stomach was exposed. Nora hooked a finger around them and pulled them away, gathering them in one hand. The glowing blue metal was stamped with MX-001E.

“If I throw these and they don’t land on a table, will you be mad?” she asked softly after a moment. Arthur took the tags from her and tossed them behind him, in the general direction of his dresser. She heard a clinking noise as they landed somewhere.

“I’m not really concerned by that right now,” he said, his eyes fixed on her. Nora kept a tight grip on his shoulders as thunder rumbled overhead once more. It wiped away the part of her mind that reminded her she was naked.

“Good,” she managed. Arthur’s hand cupped her face, his thumb rubbing across her lips. Nora couldn’t help herself. She bit down gently, watching his eyes widen. His cock pulsed against her thigh. She released him, and let her tongue sweep over the bite marks she’d left.

“Nora,” he groaned, and she reached up and pulled his lips down to hers. Arthur arched, his hands dropping to grab hold of her underwear. “I want to rip this,” he growled between kisses. “I will replace it. _Please_.”

How could she say no to _that_? The voice alone would have made her wet if she wasn’t already dripping, and with a satisfying snapping sound, he broke the elastic of her underwear and tossed aside the ruined scraps. His kisses scratched her neck as he began making his way down her body, briefly lapping at her nipple as her hips arched into the air. She wriggled as his lips found her belly, kissing the stretch marks until she couldn’t tell a giggle from a moan. There was a sudden pause.

“This isn’t going to work,” he said, his voice rough. Nora looked up as he was suddenly looming over her, an arm sliding around her back. She quickly wrapped her own around his neck and tensed to let him lift her up. In a moment, she was sitting on Arthur’s lap as he lay down on the couch. His hands curled around her hips.

“I-is this-”

She cut herself off with a cry as Arthur suddenly dragged her forward, her thighs falling either side of his face. The Elder’s beard scraped against her skin and Nora immediately grabbed a handful of his hair to steady herself. Arthur pressed a kiss to her thigh.

“ _This_ is going to work,” he said softly, his eyes glittering in the low light. His hands grasped her ass, and without another word he leaned in and ran his tongue up her slit. Nora whimpered out an ‘oh!’, her voice shaking as he teased her clit. He gave her a few scratchy kisses along her lower lips and her grip on him tightened.

The sight of his head between her thighs was as pretty now as it had been before. He was concentrating on what made her buck against his mouth and furiously attacked when he found one. Every so often, his eyes would dart up to hers, and Nora’s stomach would swoop, that hot and cold sensation rushing through her. When he sucked her clit, she sagged against him. She heard him groan before he lifted her just enough to free his mouth and began to press kisses along her thigh.

“No, fuck,” she whined, pulling on his hair. He moaned, his eyes squeezing shut, and immediately pulled her back down. His lips fastened on the sensitive nub and sucked. Nora jerked at the sudden onslaught, her body tensing up. “Oh god… _Arthur_ …”

One hand slid up her belly, cupping her breast. The rough pad of his thumb stroked against the nipple and Nora ground against his lips and tongue, her hips rocking. He seemed to enjoy it. At least, if the loud grunts and moans Arthur was making were any indication. When she looked down at him again, his eyes were shut, brows lowered. He really did seem to be savouring what he was doing.

As his tongue ground against her clit, Nora felt her grasp on words become tenuous. She leaned one arm on the couch, shaking, and her fingers pushed into her hair, her lips parted widely. Every soft swipe of his tongue fed the tension coiling between her thighs. His other hand found her breast and Nora arched, her voice briefly vanishing as she sucked in air. Thunder rumbled once more.

“ARTHUR~!” she cried, her nails digging into his scalp. That tension _broke_ , relief coming over her in a wet rush that made her shiver. She relaxed to let the pleasure take her, but her cries soon turned to whimpers when Arthur didn’t stop. Nora jerked away the moment his tongue brushed her over-sensitive clit, and he let her go as she fell onto his chest. His face was flushed, his beard wet with her slick, and he slowly dropped his hands to her thighs. Her skin twitched as the calloused palms stroked over the hot, hypersensitive skin. She whined, leaning against the couch to recover.

Arthur picked her up and laid her across him, her head falling against his chest as her thigh draped over his. His hands pressed against the small of her back comfortingly as Nora’s fingers drew little circles on his arms. She noticed that clean smell of him, and her lips pressed against his chest, right over his heartbeat. Arthur made a soft, pleased noise.

“How was that?” he asked after a moment. Nora let out a breathless laugh, and leaned up on her elbows, heart still pounding as she leaned in to kiss him. She felt his erection press against her.

“Greatly missed,” she replied, feeling him smirk as she kissed him. One hand grasped her ass as the other cupped her face. Nora shifted, her body grinding against his cock. Arthur groaned, both hands grabbing her backside and rocking her hips onto him. His lips parted. Nora nipped at his lower lip, sucking on it to soothe the bite.

She felt the flush of arousal rush through her again as the Elder moaned with each rock of her hips. She could still taste herself as they kissed, and her hands dropped to his waist to grasp hold of the black suit.

“Nora,” he said, his voice low, and sat up, taking her with him. Nora squeaked in surprise, suddenly finding herself in his lap.

“Mmm?” she moaned. His tongue stroked across her lips, and then he drew back.

“I need to clean off,” he told her, panting. His face was flushed in the stark light of the cabin. Nora nodded, and slipped off his lap, standing shakily. Arthur pressed a kiss to her belly before he swung his legs over the couch and hopped up, striding over to the south wall. He pulled on part of the metal, and it slid away to reveal a small bathroom. She idly unpinned her hair as she listened to the sound of water running, and then splashing. Nora placed the pins on the table, and as she took a seat, the Elder strode out.

“Hi,” she whispered, her arms moving to cover herself. Before she could, he had grabbed her waist, and Nora yelped at the coldness of his palms. Arthur immediately released her, stammering out an apology. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I…I don’t- it’s not that- I mind…” she said. There was another rumble of thunder, and she peered up at him shyly. “I like it,” she added softly. Arthur’s brows rose.

“I see.”

His hands found her ass, and her squeak at his touch was muffled by the rough kiss he pressed against her mouth. His lips were still cold, but they quickly warmed as they stood there. Nora let his hands guide her hips, and he groaned. It didn’t take him long to hoist her into his arms and carry her to the couch, laying her down. He leaned in for another kiss, working the suit and his underwear down to his thighs. His cock popped free, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a foil square. Nora’s eyes fell on it.

“Is something wrong?” Arthur asked as he pulled the packet open. Nora shook her head.

“Sorry, I was just…thinking about babies,” she admitted, and laughed softly. Arthur’s whole body stopped, for just a few moments. “Arthur?”

He looked her over, his hands going through the motions of pulling on the condom. Nora could practically hear his mind whirring. She was about to ask him if he was okay when he leaned down and roughly captured her lips with his own, a cool palm cupping her breast and playing with the nipple. The Elder pinned one of her legs open, rubbing the tip of his cock against her clit. Nora whimpered into the kiss, grasping the back of his head briefly before he pulled away.

“Arthur?” she asked, worried, but he was only pausing to kick off his shoes and wriggle out of his suit. He grasped her thighs, wrapping them around his waist, and Nora leaned in for another kiss as he grasped his cock and pressed it against her lower lips. She grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged his head back. Arthur stared at her, panting. The radstorm rumbled again.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly. “You went quiet.”

“I’m fine,” he told her, his voice rough. “I want this.”

She trembled as he slipped into her, feeling the unfamiliar glide of latex against her walls. The cold oil had her gasping, and he gave her a moment to adjust to the feeling of him within her. It was his turn to struggle with self-control as he fought from thrusting immediately. Nora reached up, pulling him down to kiss her. She squeezed down on him, bucking her hips. Arthur let out a broken moan and drove himself against her.  

His lips parted and Nora nipped the fuller one as she rolled her body against his, pulling him closer. She had spent months thinking about him, remembering that night in Goodneighbour. And now here he was, his hands clutching her hips as she coaxed him into moving. As he kissed her again, he grasped hold of her ass, rocking in and out of her at a steady pace.

“Arthur,” she said, panting, her body surging against his. She wanted _more_. He caught her, pinning her to the couch, and Nora’s stomach flipped in excitement. She gripped his shoulders, whining softly when he slowed. That familiar soft ache of _need_ was hard to ignore as she tried to grind into the slow thrusts.

“I-I want…to…savour this,” he reminded her, and she nipped his lip.

“You’re driving me insane,” she told him with a breathless laugh.

“My apologies,” he said, his voice tight. Her head fell back as his mouth found her neck, high gasps filling the air with each bite. Her nails dug into his shoulders. She heard him grunt each time he buried himself in her. His teeth on her her neck were making her head spin, and Nora pushed against the hands holding her to the couch, trying to arch into each thrust. Arthur let her go, grasping her ass and squeezing. His nails dragged up the backs of her thighs, a surprised laugh escaping her lips, before he gripped her legs and parted them widely. Nora’s eyes widened.

Arthur withdrew until just the tip of his cock was in her, and then he thrust forward roughly. Nora’s breath came out in a winded grunt as the sudden impact of his body on hers. He did it again, capturing her lips roughly. Nora slung a leg over the back of the couch, and his free hand grasped her breast as he wriggled a little. Nora realised he was trying to change the angle of his hips and was reaching to help him when his cockhead stroked across her sweet spot. Her hand dropped, gripping his arm, and her head fell back again as her sharp cry filled the air. His breath escaped him, strangled, as she clamped down on him. Arthur’s teeth marked the sides of her exposed throat, his fingers stroking her nipple. Nora felt the need become tension, and with each thrust into her, it grew more unbearable.  

Arthur shifted, leaning on one elbow as he kissed her roughly. He quickly pulled away, and she could feel his little breathless pants fanning against her lips. Her eyes roamed his face as his pace roughened, and she drank in the sight of him, his brows drawn in, eyes almost shut but not quite. His lips were parted. She leaned in and gently bit the lower one. Her tongue soothed the mark immediately.

“Nora,” he gasped, and leaned down to kiss the bruises his teeth had left on her neck. She squeezed his cock and felt him tense above her, his nails digging into her leg. Arthur’s head pulled away, and as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he withdrew his hand from her leg and brought it to his mouth. He sucked on two fingers. Nora’s stomach flipped again, and she watched as his right hand slipped between her legs and began to stroke her clit. She quaked, bucking wildly at first as the Elder’s rough fingers teased the nub. Her voice broke as she cried out, and the thunder was the only noise to match it. Her foot pressed against his ass, encouraging his thrusts, and Arthur sped up, his head burying in her shoulder as he panted loudly.

She whispered something to him that she could barely hear, and when he moved to look at her, his brow furrowed in confusion, she realised she had forgotten how to speak English, and her face burned, embarrassed. That embarrassment didn’t stop her from whimpering at the wet noise of his cock slipping in and out of her. Arthur didn’t seem too concerned by the sudden slip in languages and simply kissed her, his eyes closing. Nora let her own lashes drop, but she wanted to see his face. Her fingers tangled into his hair again, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt heat mounting, coiling tight between her thighs.

 _“Abhika,”_ she croaked, and pulled him in for a kiss. A few more strokes of his fingers, and Nora was arching up off the couch, her voice ringing off the metal walls as the tension snapped, relief rushing through her in a wave of heat. Her nails scratched down his back. Arthur broke away and dipped his mouth to the side of her neck that hadn’t been marked up, and Nora trembled at the touch of his teeth on the unbruised skin. His hand pulled away from her breast and she felt the impact of it slamming onto the couch. He groaned loudly. Nora scratched him again. Arthur let out a sound like he’d been shot and his hips jerked against hers.

She squirmed beneath him, her lips finding his neck, and Nora bit him. A shiver travelled down his body, and once more he was helplessly grinding into her. She raked her nails over his scalp before taking a firm grip and pulling. Arthur Maxson came with a sharp cry, fucking into her hard and fast, body trembling with aftershocks.

He almost collapsed on top of her. It took him a few moments to slip out of her and shift gracelessly onto his side, trapping her leg against the couch. Neither of them said anything, the room loud with the sound of their panting. It occurred to Nora as they lay there that they should’ve gone with the bed.

“Give me a moment,” Arthur said breathlessly, his arms shaking with effort as he sat up. She watched him stand, his legs wobbling a little, and she tried not to laugh, pushing her hair from her forehead. He made his way into his bathroom, and once again the sound of rushing water met her ears. He reappeared a minute later, a wet cloth in his hand, and took a seat on the couch. His hand slipped around her calf and he lifted it, slowly wiping the cloth along her leg. Nora gasped at the touch of the cold fabric, but she lay back and enjoyed the gentle way he wiped the sweat from her skin.

“Thank you,” she whispered, as the cloth swept over her thigh. Arthur’s eyes met hers, and then darted away, suddenly nervous.

“Something on your mind?” she asked gently. Arthur swallowed, rubbing the cloth over her stomach.

“It’s nothing,” he replied. “Just an errant thought.”

Nora sat up, placing her hand over his. “Well, errant thoughts got us _here_ ,” she pointed out with a small smile.  

Arthur placed the cloth down. Her leg was still draped over his lap and he idly ran his hands over it. “It’s what you said earlier. After I asked you what was wrong. About babies.”

Nora tilted her head, leaning closer. “What about it?” she asked. Arthur’s gaze dropped to her stomach and then back up to her face.

“It made me think about having them,” he admitted, after a long pause. Nora’s brows rose, and she made a soft, surprised noise. “I’ve always known I would be expected to produce heirs.” He looked down at her leg, and then at the northern wall. “And I’ve come to expect that the woman to carry them would be someone likely chosen for me.”

Nora took a deep breath, calming her sudden racing heart. _Oh_. Was he…?

“And when I mentioned children, you…suddenly had mental images of me holding a baby?” she guessed.

“More or less,” the Elder replied. He looked relieved that he hadn’t had to say it, but he still couldn’t meet her eye for long.

“You’re concerned I’m not interested,” Nora realised. Arthur’s jaw clenched briefly.

“I’m aware we didn’t meet in any traditional fashion, nor have we known each other for long. My concern is that I may cause offense. I know our attraction is…physical,” his eyes skimmed over her body, and finally he met her gaze, “but I won’t presume to know your mind regarding the… _non-military_ aspect of…this.”

“We really are making up for lost time,” Nora said with a soft chuckle. Arthur swallowed, and she reached out, cupping his face. “And now you’re worried you’re going to scare me away by admitting this.”

“Astutely observed,” Arthur muttered after a pause. Nora leaned in closer and kissed him softly. She knelt up, and then took a seat in his lap, her fingers gently playing with his hair as they kissed. Arthur grasped the back of her neck and pressed his lips roughly against hers. She could feel the desperation in his touch as his other hand slid down her back, holding her close. They were both panting again by the time their lips parted, and Nora ran the backs of her fingers over his scarred cheek.

“Maybe we should revisit that conversation when we’ve taken out the Institute?” she asked. Arthur turned his head and kissed her palm, his eyes finding hers. “You never know, we could commit, only for you to find out I snore or something worse.”

“There’s logic in that,” he agreed. His fingers skimmed up her arm, and he kissed her again, his teeth nipping at her lower lip. Nora felt a new wave of heat rush through her and she moaned. Arthur’s cock twitched at her thigh. His hands dropped to her waist.

Arthur’s terminal suddenly beeped. Their lips parted, and the Elder picked her up, sitting her on the couch. They both stood, Nora making a beeline for his bed, as Arthur moved to check the source of the beeping. Nora took a seat on his mattress and watched him lean over his desk, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard. He suddenly jerked back, rubbing his jaw. He turned to look at her, and Nora saw that his face was bright red.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. Arthur coughed.

“Knight-Captain Cade has just inquired if I need any more protection.”


End file.
